Neurons exhibit Lyz2 promoter activity in vivo: Implications for using LysM-Cre mice in myeloid cell research

Eur J Immunol. 2016 Jun;46(6):1529-32. doi: 10.1002/eji.201546108. Epub 2016 Apr 24.

Abstract

To characterize LysM-Cre mediated gene targeting in mice, we crossed LysM-Cre mice to two independent reporter-mouse lines (tdTomato or YFP). Surprisingly, we found that more than 90% of cells with LysM-Cre mediated recombination in the brain were neurons, rather than myeloid cells, such as microglia. Hence, by using the LysM-Cre mouse line for conditional knockout approaches, a significant neuronal recombination needs to be considered.

Keywords: Brain; LysM-Cre; Lyz2; Microglia; Neuroinflammation; Neurons.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Animals
  • Brain / metabolism
  • Cerebral Cortex / cytology
  • Cerebral Cortex / metabolism
  • Gene Expression
  • Gene Knockout Techniques
  • Gene Targeting
  • Genes, Reporter
  • Homologous Recombination
  • Mice
  • Mice, Knockout
  • Mice, Transgenic
  • Microglia / metabolism
  • Muramidase / genetics*
  • Myeloid Cells / cytology
  • Myeloid Cells / metabolism
  • Neurons / metabolism*
  • Promoter Regions, Genetic*
  • Stem Cell Research
  • Transcriptional Activation*

Substances

  • Muramidase
  • lysozyme M, mouse